"Mmh. Tell me, which dress would you like to wear today sweetie?" Serenity asked, turning to look at me with a smile. In each hand she held a gaudy dress, laden with ornaments. I glance up from the mass of blankets on my bed I was trying to hide myself in. "None," I answered blandly. She always seemed to choose the most frivolous, cumbersome dresses she could to make me wear. Only because I like her do I put up with it, but even my fondness for her has it's limit.

Your the wife of a prince, I think grumpily as I'm forcefully dragged from my bed and made to stand in the center of my room. Don't you have more important things to do than play dress up? Serenity had the annoying habit of dressing me up whenever she gets the chance. Every day, wether it be morning or night, she somehow made time to barge into my room and have me put on display whilst she shoved me into multiple dresses. And at least once a week she's commissioning or arranging fittings for even more new dresses, making me feel like some sort of doll.

I'm quickly growing sick of it, but Serenity genuinely seems happy when she's dressing me. I guess being her only child it was to be expected that she'd want to spend a lot of much time with me. Or maybe she just likes having a living doll to play with when in reality that doll is actually her two year old daughter. Who knows. The point being, despite my obvious resistance, I was forced to wear the frilled heaps of fabric I hate so much every day.

It wouldn't bother me that much if I were able to escape outside and take it off when I felt like it, but ever since I pulled that disappearing act a month ago, all the maids have been on high alert. Apparently when David and Serenity found out that I got away from the nursery they had a heart attack, thinking I was kidnapped or something. As a result they've been watching me like a hawk ever since. However, this much attention is smothering, which just makes me want to run even more.

While Serenity gleefully draped my body in overly priced fabric, a maid suddenly burst in, panting heavily like she had just run a marathon. Her cap was askew and in danger of slipping off completely but she didn't seem to care as she blubbered incoherently. Serenity eyed the sudden intrusion with a perfectly arched eyebrow. "Yes?" She asked primly. The maid swallowed before blurting in a panicked voice, "The prince would like to see princess Kalliope!"

This caught my interest. Rafferty? He wants to see me? Despite his interest in seeing me again last month as soon as he went up the stairs I haven't seen or heard a word from him since. I was beginning to question whether or not he really meant it, but apparently he did. Sorry for doubting your words Rafferty! At the maid's unexpected answer, Serenity blanched in surprise, caught off guard. As I've stated before, we weren't really high on the totem pole. No doubt it was extremely uncommon for someone as important as the crown prince to make time for the lowly daughter of the fourth prince.

Flustered, Serenity immediately turned to me and began flinging the assortment of dresses she had pulled out aside. "No, no," She murmured, throwing each dress away in disgust. "Ah! None of these are even close to decent enough for a meeting with the prince oh," she groaned, placing a hand on her head as if she might faint. "If only I'd known that the prince had planned to visit! I would have commissioned a dress befitting the occasion!" Seriously lady? MORE dresses? I already have THREE WARDROBES FULL. JUST HOW MANY DO YOU PLAN TO MAKE BEFORE YOU ARE SATISFIED?

After a few more minutes of chaos and distressed moaning, Serenity finally shoved me into an icy mint satin dress with capped sleeves, pinchy sapphire encrusted shoes, and placed a ridiculously oversized pink bow on the back of my head. "Now, Kalliope," she said as she tugged the bow into place. "Be sure to mind your manners. Always smile at him. And don't talk unless your spoken too. And- oooh if only I had more time!" Serenity bit her lip, seeming like she might cry at any moment. "You have nowhere near the proper skills a lady should have yet!" Wow. Thanks for the vote of confidence MOM. I'm only two here, how ladylike do you expect me to be?

"Your not ready, your too young. If you upset the prince. . ." Wringing her hands nervously, she hesitantly gave a curt nod to the maid as her permission to take me to go see him. Sweating, the maid began herding me out of the room. As the door closed behind me Serenity quickly cried out in a choked voice, "Kalliope, whatever you do! Don't take off your clothes!!" I didn't even have time to respond before I was quickly hurried away.

The maid led me up a few flights of stairs and down a hallway before stopping in front of a large oak door. She fidgeted, looking extremely worried. "Y-your highness," She stuttered. "T-the first prince a-awaits you," Ah. So I take it he's behind this door then. Alright, thanks for taking me this far. I know you're freaked out. I don't know why though, since I'm the one meeting Rafferty, not you. Patting her hand sympathetically, I grab the ornate gold handle and push open the door.